Chassis-frame construction



March 16 1926. 1,577,060 R. D. DAY

CHASSIS FRAME CONSTRUCTION Filed May l0, 1924 2 Sheets-Shea?I 1 llm' I March 16- 1926.

R. D. DAY

CHASSIS FRAME CONSTRUCTION Filed May 1o, 1924 2 sheets-sheet a INVENTOR ATTORNEY w .NS

Parental Mar. 16, 1926. 1 i

carrito` sTATEsPATENT OFFICE.

norm v DAY, or nAvnnroaD, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIGNon To THE' AMERICAN IOT-B BODY COBPORTION, OF'PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A

, TION' 0F LDEILAWARIE.'`

CORPORA- CHASSIS-FRAME CONSTRUCTION.

Application nica my 1o, 1924. serial No. 712,186.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, RODNEY D.. citizen .of the United States, residing at Haverford, in the county of Delaware and 5 State of Pennsylvania, have'invented certain construction, and more particularly relates a steady bearing to a chassis frame including a criss-cross or diagonal stiffenin structure combined with or a propeller shaft.A

In motor vehicles where the propeller shaft is quite long or, in other words, where the distance between the gear set or transmission and the rear axle is quite long, it has been customary to construct the propeller shaft in sections, and, in such case,

2 there is need for a steady bearing, sometimes called a mid-bearing, to support a short portion or section of the propeller shaft-at a median point between the gear set and the rear axle. Moreover, when the chassis frame is quite long, it is desirable to stien the structure by means of stifening members or braces arranged to extend between the two side rails of the frame, particularly when a rigid form of chassis is desired.

It is necessary to support a steady bearing in a very secure manner, and the principal aim of my invention is to provide means for supporting a median proportion of a propeller shaft on a chassis frame 1n a secure manner, and in such a way that the propeller shaft will run freely, quietly, smoothly, and withl a minimum of friction and without trouble.

Another object of my invention is to provide a criss-cross stiiiening structure for an automobile chassis frame, which is very effective.

A further object of my invention is to pro vide a chassis frame construction which includes the combination of a very effective criss-cross or diagonal stiiiening structure with a securely supported and eiicient steady bearing for a propeller shaft.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter. Y

In order that a clearer understanding of my invention may be had, attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawings DAY, a

forming a part of this application and illustratlng one possible embodiment of my invention. Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1

is a top view of a stiflening structure combined with a steady bearing for a propeller shaft and embodying this invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof and is taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the lconstruction and is taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, the view being broken away at the center. Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the chassis frame comprises a pair of spaced longitudinal side members l and 2, which at their front may be connected by a cross brace 3. Ivplace a criss-cross stiening structure between the rails 1 and 2 and rigidly secure the structure to these rails, so that the frame will be eiectively stifened and braced. As shown, the stifening structure presents four arms, 4, 5, 6. and 7, which approach each other at a common center and diverge therefrom in different directions, and each at its outer end is rigidly secured to a side rail. For instance, arm 4L may be secured to the rail l, toward its rear, by means of plate 8 and rivets or bolts 9. Arm 5 may be secured to the rail 1, toward its front, by means of plate l() and bolts or rivets 11. Arms 6 may be secured to the rail 2, toward its lfront, by means of plate 12 and bolts or rivets 13, and arm 7 vmay be secured to the rail 2, toward its rear, by means of plates 14 and rivets or bolts 15. The inner ends of these arms 4, 5, 6 and 7 -may be secured together at a common center by means of plates 16 and bolts or4 rivets 17.

`The stilening structure may also comprise extends between the varms 5 and 6 and is secured thereto by means of bolts 23 while bracket 19 extends between the arms 4 and 7,

and is secured .to these arms by means of bolts 241.

The arms of the stiffening structure may hc inniio in iniiiifihn'ii nniin1 or, ii? iiooincii, nnii in? nhnwn, ihn ninio i nini 5 nniy coinpliso tho onii poiiionn of un initcgnni Ino1nhon having n contini portion which in nttachcii to tho pinten 16. Siniihirilif", tho nimo and 'i innjf' comprise portions of n ono picco nioinhci: which hns n contrai portion 26 which io sccni'cti io thc pinion It hns hccn onnni that thc iinginhii {iinposition of thc mini-a i, 5, sind i io o invii oni pinno pinning ihi'onifh tho iongriinihnni oontci' iinc off ihn chnseiiss nini he i'iii'ioi'i from iii ficniccs io iii-@greco ond otiii iotiiin on cii'cciiw :nomini-c. As shown in ihn ihnningn, ihcoo ninin ni'c (iisponcd nt n, thirty* uiogroc ongggic io noch pinne. Ii tho iingic nioi'c 'hiin 5 iicigiccm ihn owns; of tho siiiiicninn; oiiiicini'o wonhi hc no short iowiiiii ihn iront iinci i'ciii no noi in hc vciy oii'cciivo in otilioningi; ihn ironic. iii noch iiogniniiijyv oi ihn iiinis; in icio ihon iii iicgiccn, ihclgi iiic ino nciiiiy pniiiiici Wiih ihn sido 'ironico i nnfi @if Comiso, in anni' conc, thc nngrnhiiiifgi oi? ihn niino cannot ho icon ihnn thc length of ihn chiioiiin ifiaiino Wiii pci'inii.

In oi'iici' io piiopcriji und ciicntivciy no colnnimhiic ihc pioipoiici ohnzit onction QQ :in'ii tho hcin'ingo ihcicifoi', noch hinchoi i@ anni i@ in ipicfcinhiy piovdcii with nn nnniihic niocvn portion Qi" ihn'niing' n cup QS minimi# mi io snitnhiy Icccii'o n hozirinngj such ns n i'oiior hoiiiing; 20 oi 21, 'foi' tho propeller ohn'ii `Eoich hi'nciict i8 nnii if) in nino piioioi'iihh; pioi'idcdi wii'h :i siccvo portion ihionngh which thc iiioncilci' occhioni Ehi io nohipi'cii in cnicnd. iii iicsiinci, ii iniliihii gi'iiniii ni' ionoicciing' niacin 3U foi tho niojnniici' ohnii QQ moy hc nn'niniicd on ihn nicovoo oi ihn hizichcin. :in :in in oninni i'hnnchoiwcon iinii in niiociniiiijif onciooo ihn nioii i 'ijioiiiion oi' ihn pioiiciici ohofi'.

"ifhn i'honnin ifininn incrnhci on nrcii ihn incinhni'o oi ihc ni'iii'cninlo; si'inciinc nnfi ihn nicniiji hoiiiinfgf hinciicin nio pioiioinhij inciiiiiiic nni'i of hnnnci nhniac in ciooo sicciiion. iiiizhonii'h oin'ionoijif ihc inziioi'izii :ind ohopc oiB nicinhcin inni ho iii'lioii coiioiiioiiihiy. J i inoiciiii oi? noni ivm hinchcin i8 inni iii ilo occoininoihiic info oicni'iji" i'icniiinio 'iioi ihn iiimoiiciioi ohnii onh' ono hi'iichoinini ono oiciiiijif honining;V ninja hc cnigiioyoii, :inni noch hoiiiin infn; ho fiinnoooii ni oni point iiionn" ihn in inno 253 und EEG oi? ihn nini-inning;

i: iin ci cniijii hoiniinigi' nini in c"o ni in i i i:

ii inhicn Y i, conci ini'io ihn "niniioiici ininooo in nninif chungo@ comici ho modo in ihn iihoiic construction ond no niiiny appnioniiy Wiiiciji' fiiioiont ninhodinicnis of this invcntion could ho inode withoni; dcpnrting from tho scopo thc/reci', it is inlcniicd that all moitcl coniziincii in hc nhoio description o1" Shown in the accompanying drawings simil ho intcrpretcd :in iihisiiiiiiic ond not in n, iiiniiing sense.

'Whoo I cinini in Ii. Tho comhinniion with ii chassis finlno niiiiionci', conn'nioinnjr n, phiiiiiiiy of mcmhoiio inchiiiing siii'cning; :imno nii'iingcd in dingonni fashion. n hinciici; inihzinding bctwecn onii nccnrofi io ino oiI oniii incinhoi's, omi o nnonoiion @haft homing' ciiiiiiod on inici hinchci.

Tho conihinotion with n, chassis fioino si. iiinnni, connoiioinp; o nimo/hij] of nioinhcio incintiinn" Siiii'oninn; infini; niiiiingcoi in thononoi 'innhinin oi.E ai Sfondi; homing hinchci; crn'cnfiingr hct'in'ccn noci occnioi io inno ori .unifi inoinhoin, niiifi hinchci honing o sioni/*o noriion, sind o pionciici' shnit homing; sooioc'i in niiiii oiccic poniion fi. Tho coinhinz'iiion with n chossio ifioino stiiicnoi", coininisiilg o oininiiiy oi nioinhono inchiciinn niiiinninp; ovino :inliingcci in iiiogg'- onni 'inshioo oi. :i sinodo hoog'ing hmohci cxiciiiiing hoiwccn :indi sccnicd to two ci Sziiii i'ncmhoi", Snii hiocioi; having n sieowo portion. ond n piopoiicr shnit hearing sented in @nidi sicoi'c portion, inni ho'vinpf onothci @ionic noiiion, anni ii. nojjiciici' shaft iioition cnicniiingi' ihnicihiongzh :ini-'i 'thiongh snii homing".

di. in n chnsnin immo, :i wir oi*h spoccci siii@ milo omi :i phnziiiiy niiI Sl'ifi'cninn inonihoi-n inchiiiinn" niinn nimnffcfi in dingonni 'Fashion joinccl ioglnihci nin :i common ocnici" nini riivciifinn" ihci'cifl'oni in fiiiicicnt iiiioc iinno hinzu-ci finiti Siiic i'niin nini Scc-ninci iihcici'o. ihn nnnnhii1 {linnoniiion oi niiii'i niino with i'cniicci io o vciiicni i[ihinc pnnsinn ihi'onnfh ihn ionniiiniiinni ccnioi iino oi2 ihn chnosin hoiiigi' hciwncn 'Hi iicmcco ond i5 fio ni'con. nini n innii oi ninicni hinchoi's occni'cni io niiiii otii'hninif nicinhcin, oooh hinchoiy hiiifinnn n cui) novi-ion, iinfi :i ioionciici ohii'ii hon inn' nczitci'i in noch cui) noiizion.

i'nni cinici iino oi" ihn .ioiiiili' iiioi'iicon ifi iionnncs nini iii (in inni ii now nii nnncoii hi'nc icio occuicci 1 icm noch innohci; hoihnnn noii'ion, inni n. propciici' nhnih i' ini'ofi in noch cnn "poiiion, noch hoi: hii'i'i nino o `o noizion, o, nion oiiii'i otiiiniiiiin: noon Hifi peller shaft portion extending through the sleeve portions of both brackets and through said bearings.

6. I n a chassis frame, a pair of spaced side rails and a plurality of stiifening-members including arms arranged in diagonal fashion joined together at a common center and diverging therefrom in different directions toward said side rails and secured thereto, the angular disposition of said arms with respect to a vertical plane passing through the longitudinal center line of the chassis being between 15 degrees and 45 degrees, and a pair of'spaced brackets secured to said sti'ening members, each bracket 15 having a cup portion, and a propeller shaft bearing seated in each cup portion, each bracket having also a sleeve portion, a propeller shaft portion extending through the sleeve portions of both brackets and through 20 said bearings, and a tubular cover member surrounding said propeller shaft portion and extending between and mounted on said sleeve portions.

This specification signed this 4th day of 25 May, 1924. L

. RODNEY D. DAY. 

